The invention relates to an electrical and/or optical plug connector having a housing, intended for receiving electrical or optical contacts, with at least one latching arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,858 discloses an electrical connector having a housing and a latching arm provided thereon. The latching arm has a latching projection and latches into a latching opening of a housing of a complementary electrical plug connector. On that side of the housing opposite the latching arm, the electrical plug connector furthermore has a bevelled elevated portion which cooperates with a corresponding opening in the complementary connector and is adapted to minimise the amount of play which exists between the two complementary connectors, even when they are latched together. However, this arrangement does not have the two plug connectors pushed against one another by the action of a force.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,998 discloses a further electrical connector having a housing, intended for receiving electrical contacts, and a latching arm. In this case, the latching arm has an elongate opening to receive the corresponding latching nose therein. The two arm portions are, however, still rigidly connected to one another at their free end.
The object of this invention is to provide an electrical and/or optical connector having a housing, intended for receiving electrical or optical contacts, and a latching arm through which secure latching and the minimisation of the amount of play can be achieved.
The object is achieved by a connector having a housing which is constructed to receive electrical and/or optical contacts is provided. The housing has at least one latching arm. The latching arm is longitudinally divided, from its free end, into arm portions which can move independently of one another and each of the arm portions bears a different latching projection.
Advantageous further developments are specified in the dependent claims.
Because the two latching projections are of different construction, it is possible to fulfil different functions using the two arm portions. One of the two latching projections can for example be constructed such that it can be used to perform secure latching. Latching of this kind may, however, still leave a considerable amount of play between the two complementary plug connectors. To compensate for this play, the second movable arm portion may be used. For this purpose, the corresponding latching projection has for example an oblique plane which co-operates with the latching opening of the complementary plug connector.
It is particularly advantageous that the two arm portions may be unlatched at the same time. This is achieved by one of the arm portions having at its free end a releasing button by means of which the second arm portion is also actuated for release.
It is particularly advantageous that the two arm portions may be manufactured simply with respect to the releasing button. This is achieved in that the releasing button is constructed as a transverse bar at the free end of the one arm portion and projects beyond the free end of the second arm.
It is furthermore particularly advantageous that it is possible to reduce the amount of play between the complementary plug connectors. This is achieved by an oblique plane or a convex portion being provided on the latching projection of the second arm portion, this oblique plane or convex portion co-operating with a wall of the latching opening of the complementary plug connector. This particular arrangement has the effect that, because of the spring action of the second arm portion, the two complementary plug connectors are held in a position in which their front faces are as close together as possible, in a manner almost free of play.
The connector according to the invention, having a longitudinally divided latching arm, may be used in electrical and in optical or hybrid plug connectors. It is not restricted to being located on a one-piece plug connector, but may also be provided, for example, on an outside housing which receives for example further modular housings having the contact chambers.